A Review of Pilgrim's Progress - Part 3
Part 3 (Pages 10-13)
(quotes from the book in blue; Scripture passages in red)
Didn't get too far in the book yesterday. We took last week off, and needed some review and further reflection on the Slough of Despond. So, I'd like to spend some extra time on that memorable feature, then Part 4 will deal with the rest of the book we read and talked about yesterday (through p. 16).
First, I don't believe the Slough of Despond is directly referring to willfully sinning against God. Christian will eventually willfully disobey God by getting off track (Parts 4 & 5 will cover the first time), but the Slough focuses on the indwelling sin of our lives. John Bunyan makes that clear in two of Help's statements: The Slough is created from "the scum and filth that comes with the conviction of sin drains and collects as the traveling sinner becomes aware of his lost condition," and the best His Majesty's surveyors can do to repair it is provide "good and substantial steps... through the very midst of the bog to offer a sure way." What exactly is meant by "a sure way," though? The path created by these steps truly is sure, just not in our normal definition; for "these steps are hardly seen," and, "often when men find the steps, they grow dizzy from their own guilt and their feet miss the steps and they become covered and stained with mud." The "mud" of indwelling sin.
Every human being that has existed or will exist on Earth (save for Jesus) is affected by the Slough of Despond, for "There is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). Even Jesus confronted this Slough in the desert when Satan tempted Him three times (see Matthew 4:1-11). He is thankfully without sin (If He wasn't, He couldn't be the "once for all" sacrifice we desperately need - Hebrews 10:10), but He faced every kind of temptation while He walked in our world (Hebrews 4:15). He confronted the Slough, but perfectly found and navigated the path through the mire. With Christ's example, may we "follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).
"Every human being" certainly includes those who are unbelievers, and they are represented in this scene by the character Pliable. As he fell into the mire, his discouragement took over. The pilgrim's life sure sounded good on the Plains of Ease, but in this difficulty, he couldn't help but get out as fast as he could (every man's temptation). He got out on the side of his house and ran back to the City of Destruction.
For believers (represented by Christian), the Slough of Despond is a wake-up call. The heavy burden on his back also serves as a wake-up call; the need all believers have to be aware, convicted of, and repentant of indwelling sin (more on that in Part 4). There's also another action worth noticing: What does Christian do in the bog? He "struggled through the muck little by little toward the side of the bog farthest from his house...to the side of the wicket gate." He continued traveling through the bog! And on that other side, he found his Help out of that filthy swamp.
Be assured that every believer will sink into this Slough of indwelling sin from time to time; and when we do, we must continue to travel in the direction we are called to go, relying on our sovereign Help for strength to persevere. As we travel through the mire, we cry out to the Lord in hope. Confidently waiting on His timing to pull us "out of [that] horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set [our] feet upon a rock, and [establish our steps]" (Psalm 40:2).
The edition we are using is The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan, Revision - Copyright 2014, by Aneko Press.
